3 minute read
CEO’s Message
from MTA SA November 2024
by Boylen
If you talk to any MTA member about the challenges they are facing, the answers are broadly the same. The cost of doing business is rising across the board including in wages, rent, energy and insurance.
Skill shortages persist and modern regulations have never been more complex. But against all odds, our members have shone as a beacon of excellence and a reminder of why the automotive industry will continue to adapt, innovate and evolve.
South Australians continue to show their love for utes and 4X4s, as reflected in the top five new cars sold so far in 2024. While 2023 was a record year for electric vehicles in South Australia, 2024 has seen growth in electric vehicles flatten with a sharp rise in hybrids as fuel savings influence consumer purchases. With the first MTA EV Ready member on board, we are here to assist members with new customers and prepare for whatever vehicle enters the workshop.
Our recent Industry Advisory Council meeting has once again demonstrated its vital importance in shaping the MTA’s direction to meet the evolving needs of our members. Deputy Premier Susan Close heard about the complexities of recycling automotive plastics such as bumper bars, as well as emerging challenges with the rise in electric vehicles. Like her colleague, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis, she shared her reservations about visions for an electric vehicle only future, instead favouring a technology mix.
Retail dealerships are proving a new frontier in the transition to zero and low emission vehicles as manufacturers stand firm on capital needing significant electricity grid upgrades. With hundreds of thousands of dollars and lengthy lead times to install transformers for dealership upgrades, our continued dialogue with SA Power Networks will be imperative.
Our training has gone from strength to strength as we now count more than 1,100 apprentices in training for the first time. The success of the organisation has led to significant reinvestment in improved facilities and equipment at our training centres in Cleve and Royal Park.
At a national level, we are hitting our strides with the appointment of Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) CEO Matt Hobbs paying dividends for members. The MTAA, of which MTA SA/NT is a member, has secured significant improvements to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards and is quickly building a reputation as a credible and persuasive force nationally.
As we scan the horizon, there are undoubtedly challenges ahead. But it is the quiet resolve and tenacity of our South Australian members which fills me with confidence that the opportunities before us are even greater.
